Today's Order of Business are items 1 and 11. Item I will be taken from now until 6 p.m. Time limit for speeches is 20 minutes per spokesperson for each group — and "group" includes the Progressive Democrats for this item — and 15 minutes thereafter. Item 11 will be taken from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is a Private Members' Bill being taken in Private Members' Time and I have no difficulty in making additional time available should the Opposition require it. Discussion of the Bill is ordered to conclude at 8 p.m. but if the Opposition require further time the Whips can meet immediately afterwards and I will inform the House of what has been agreed.
Order of Business.
I am sure many Senators wish to contribute to the discussion on item 11, Senator Roche's Bill. We would welcome the Leader of the House allocating more time to it. An energy policy was announced last evening outside of the Oireachtas by the Minister and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss his ideas and future policy on energy. We ask the Leader of the House to order such a discussion as soon as possible.
I understand that The Cork Examiner is no longer covering Seanad proceedings. That is a retrograde step. Perhaps the Leader would look into this matter and see if there is some way we could influence that editorial decision.
I wish to raise a matter that has been debated here on many occasions. That matter is East Timor and there is an item in that regard on today's Order Paper. A group of us have just returned from Portugal and I understand that a motion will shortly be tabled to take note of the final statement of the conference — the Lisbon declaration.
In that context, I wish to direct a specific question to the Leader of the House. He will recall that some weeks ago I expressed concern that preparations were being made secretly to entertain a senior member of the Indonesian Administration; I have since discovered that it was the Indonesian Ambassador to London and Ireland, Mr. Habiebie. Of course, it is appropriate that ambassadors should visit this country. I asked about it but I did not receive any further information. However, I was disturbed to read in The Irish Times subsequent to that meeting that a Minister of this Government, Deputy Enda Kenny, apologised to Mr. Habiebie for the fact that there was a group of people, including myself and the head of the East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign, outside the Department of Tourism and Trade. It is most extraordinary in light of the motions passed by this House and those currently on the Order Paper and in light of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs' clear indication that he would consider seeking European Union sanctions against Indonesia for its barbarous and genocidal regime, that a Minister apparently apologised to the Ambassador for the fact that we in Ireland, unlike people in Indonesia and in East Timor, can exercise our democratic rights.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
A question for the Leader of the House.
Has the Leader of the House any further information on this? If not, can he provide such information as soon as possible to the House?
With regard to the point made by Senator Norris, a motion has been put down, which I hope will be supported by all sides of the House, in respect of the declaration made at the inter-parliamentary conference in Lisbon last week. We should take all the steps we can to ensure that self-determination is granted to the people of East Timor and that the abuses of human rights taking place there are ended. When the declaration was adopted in Lisbon it was supported by all parties, and all parties were present. I hope all parties will support this motion.
I support Senator Wright's comments in respect of an energy policy and the proposals being made about the future of the ESB. Could the Leader of the House allocate time for statements or for a substantive motion on that matter at the earliest possible date?
I support the call to give delegates who went to the East Timor conference an opportunity to make a statement to the House and allow us to respond, in view of the continuing interest in this House over a number of years in the difficulties East Timor is experiencing and in view of the many motions passed in that regard. I support the call for an opportunity to further debate this. We had an Adjournment debate last week to coincide with the presence of our delegates in Portugal.
I was amazed to hear this morning that The Cork Examiner is no longer reporting the events of Seanad Éireann. This is a retrograde step. I support the call from our leader, Senator Wright, that this service be brought back. The only coverage we get in Munster is in The Cork Examiner.
The Kerryman.
With the Irish Press gone, soon we will get hardly any coverage at all. I appeal to the Leader of the House to do whatever is necessary to get The Cork Examiner to report what we say in Seanad Éireann.
I unreservedly accept your ruling about the Adjournment matter, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, but I have a question which may be answered now or at any time in the future. Do I take it that the Minister for the Environment does not have even a quasi-judicial role in the implementation of the 1990 water pollution legislation?
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I will discuss the matter with the Senator later.
I support the comments of Senator Wright and Senator Fitzgerald about The Cork Examiner. It could be disastrous if the Seanad was not reported in that newspaper. I hope the Leader will ensure that The Cork Examiner does its best to feature again in its pages particularly all of us who have an interest in the area.
I support the previous speakers comments on the problems with The Cork Examiner.
Bring back The Skibbereen Eagle.
I am surprised they decided not to cover the Seanad having done so for such a long time. I do not think it is a question of cost, if it is, they should look at their own costs. I understand one reporter was covering two papers at one time. As I said, I do not think it is a question of money, if it is, serious questions must be asked. The paper has a responsibility and a duty if it continues to say it is the main paper for the south and the Munster region. I ask that the paper covers events in both Houses of the Oireachtas.
Given the recently stated policy of this Government and its abhorrence of people involved in politics being on State boards, would the Leader of the House agree with me and does he wish to criticise the appointments of Dr. Garret FitzGerald and Mr. Des Geraghty to the board of Radio Telefís Éireann?
That is the Senator's lowest shot yet.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
That matter has no relevance to today's Order of Business. It is not on the Order Paper. Has the Senator a relevant question to the Leader?
He is a Senator of eminence with much to contribute.
This is the first opportunity I have had to express my dismay at political appointments.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I have informed the Senator that he is out of order as it is not relevant to today's Order of Business.
Will the Leader ask the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht to come into this House and explain why political appointments have been made to the board of Radio Telefís Éireann?
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
It is not a matter for today's Order of Business.
It is.
Put it down on the Adjournment.
I support the call by Senator Dardis and Senator Norris for a debate on East Timor. As one of the Fianna Fáil delegates at the conference, I think it is an important one. We can neglect this sort of thing when it is happening on the far side of the world but it is important. We must continue our fight for those people and their self-determination. I support the call made by Senator Wright and Senator Dardis for a debate on the future of the ESB. I cannot believe we intend to import electricity generated from nuclear energy as it is against everything we stand for.
I ask the Leader of the House to convey the congratulations of the House to an esteemed former Member who is now retired from politics and who has continued to serve in the public interest on the board of RTÉ.
Hear, hear.
We argued here before that, irrespective of party politics, those people who over the years have gathered tremendous national and international experience should be——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
This matter is not relevant to the Order of Business.
I am amazed at the decision of The Cork Examiner which has always claimed to be a national newspaper. I am sure the efforts of the Leader to convince it to reconstitute its coverage will be aided by the knowledge that Senator Wright reads it in Dublin, Senator Fitzgerald reads it in Kerry and Senator Henry reads it also. I believe Trinity College gets a copy now and again. I ask the Leader to convey the best wishes of the House to The Cork Examiner and ask it to simply do its job.
I ask the Leader of the House to try to arrange a debate on the current difficulties in the agricultural sector. I know the Minister was in the House recently but restrictions on the payment of grants are causing a serious problem. A large number of grant applications for farm improvement schemes are at present with the Department and this is causing a serious problem within the agricultural community. I would welcome a debate on this issue, which is fundamental to farmers, so that we could get a clear indication of the procedure relating to farm improvement grant applications.
I support Senator McGowan's call in regard to control of farmyard pollution grants. We had a debate on this issue in this House but the matter has not been resolved; if anything, the situation has deteriorated. It is time we had a further debate or some further contact from the Minister because the situation needs his attention. I also support the call by Senator Wright for a debate on energy, in particular on the ESB. This news is disturbing as far as the workforce of the ESB is concerned. It follows hot on the heels of a decision to close down many ESB offices around the country; it is proposed to close three offices in my own county. The proposals announced by the Minister outside the House, indeed the whole issue of the ESB, are disturbing and need to be debated here. I support the call to invite the Minister to come to this House as soon as possible so that we can debate this very important public issue.
On a point of information——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
You have already spoken on the Order of Business.
May I rise on a point of information?
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
You may rise on a point of order.
A statement has been made. Can it be verified that The Cork Examiner has notified anybody officially that they will not in future be covering the affairs of the Seanad? A reporter from The Cork Examiner is at present writing in the Gallery.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
That is not a matter for the Order of Business.
This matter should be clarified.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
The Leader of the House might be able to clarify the situation. I call on the Leader to reply.
On the question of more time for the debate on the Second Stage of Senator Roche's Bill, the Whips will meet but we can take it that the Bill will not conclude this evening. We hope to see Senator Roche here on many evenings over the next couple of weeks to steer his Bill through the House.
The question of an energy policy was raised by Senator Wright and a number of other Senators. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Lowry. He has not been in this House with any legislation so far and it is time he was afforded an invitation which I am certain he will accept. I will convey the invitation of the House to him to come in.
The question of The Cork Examiner was raised by virtually every speaker. Like Senator Sherlock, I am not aware that this has been verified as a fact. The Cork Examiner has given good, honest and full coverage of this House over a very long period and it would be a retrograde step for it and for this House if that service were to be discontinued. I propose that an all party group would speak to The Cork Examiner to indicate our continuing interest in this matter, if that is agreeable.
On the question of East Timor, I was interested to note such well informed unanimity among those who recently attended the conference on our behalf. If it can be arranged, I propose to make two hours available next Wednesday for a take note motion by having the House meet at 12 p.m. rather than at 2.30 p.m. if that meets what is required. As regards the other matter raised by Senator Norris, I am not aware of the facts, but I will make inquires and report back to him.
Senator Mulcahy has an interesting style on the Order of Business. He invariably invites me to agree with him, but I rarely do and I certainly do not today. Senator Magner put the point well that we are lucky that people who have served in public life are prepared to continue serving and the RTÉ Authority and the public are lucky to have people of the calibre of Dr. FitzGerald and others——
Was Charlie Haughey asked?
If Mr. Haughey — I do not presume to be so familiar in the House — were invited, I am sure he would be happy and an addition to any authority. The Senator's party when in Government and the man who appointed him to this House had plenty of opportunities to extend an invitation and, to the best of my knowledge, it was never so extended.
The other point of substance raised related to the agriculture debate. Although it is a serious issue, I do not believe time will be available to debate it in the next few weeks, but I will see if a slot can be found.
Order of Business agreed to.